“You what!” gasped Randall, staring. “You’re joking with me!” “Not a bit of it,” said Merry. “I suppose Bully persuaded you to dope me?”
“Well, he had a little to do with it,” admitted Randall, too proud to cast the blame where it rightly lay. “I can only apologize, Chip, and you——”
“Why, old man, forget all about it!” exclaimed Merry, catching the other about the shoulders and turning toward the door. “There was nobody damaged in any way except Bully.”
He broke off suddenly, and laughed.
“Look here, Bob! He tried to make you the goat to put me out of the way, see? He probably figured that Southpaw Diggs could handle either one of us, but without the double shoot Fardale would get pounded. Then he got hold of that stuff by accident and it laid him out. Except for that, you might still be under suspicion of stealing Hostetter’s money! It was only his being doped that really saved you!”
“That’s right, Merry!” and Randall’s eyes flashed. “I believe he’d have let me suffer for it, too, the cowardly cur! Look here, old man, will you take my hand and accept my apologies?”
[312]
“Great Scott, how often do you want me to tell you so?” returned Chip, with mock despair. He wrung the Southerner’s hand heartily.
“Now let’s get out into the open air. I’m about ready for something to eat, if you want to know it!”
They left the building behind and started across the campus for the barracks. It still being some time before assembly and mess. As they neared the barracks, they were approached by a tall figure neatly clad in a dark-blue suit. He gave them a keen glance, then stopped them quietly.
“This is Mr. Merriwell, isn’t it?”
Merry flung him a look, and started.
“Hello! It’s Green—or I should say Diggs!”
“Yes, Southpaw Diggs,” and the other smiled as he held out his hand. “I just want to congratulate you on winning a remarkably fine game, Merriwell—one of the best I ever saw, in fact. If you’d only consider big-league work and——&rdqu............